Hydraulic fracturing can increase the rate of production of oil and gas from low-permeability reservoirs. Hydraulic fracturing increases the permeability of reservoir rocks by opening channels through which oil and gas can move. During a hydraulic fracturing procedure, a fluid is pumped through a wellbore under high pressure into a subterranean reservoir where it splits or fractures the reservoir rock. A proppant, like sand, is often added to the pumped fluid and is carried in suspension into the newly formed fractures. When pumping ceases, the fractures partially close on the proppant, leaving channels for oil and gas to flow to a recovery well.
High-pressure pumps are used to complete hydraulic fracturing procedures or “frac jobs.” These pumps often have connecting rods that join a crosshead to a plunger that pressurizes the fracture fluid. A conventional connecting rod is cast as a single unit and is subsequently machined to its finished dimensions. When portions of such a connecting rod wear out, the rod must be replaced in its entirety—a time-consuming and costly project. Multi-piece connecting rods have been developed as a substitute for one-piece rods so as to minimize rod replacement time by permitting just the worn portions of a rod to be swapped. Multi-piece rods have not, however, gained widespread acceptance since wear tends to occur not only in the usual spots, but, also, at the junctions between the joined pieces. Thus, multi-piece connecting rods often require full replacement when partially worn.